Bury Me Alive/Summary
Summary '- Daybreak -' Part One Fendel reads the group Kokatori's letter, which they previously received in reply to their request of aid. Aware of the potential danger awaiting them, the friends reassure each other that they are willing to make sacrifices in order to stop their enemy Jiang Ziya. On their wish Kaiser, who declared rebellion against his master, escorts the Fairy Tales to the Golden Temple, where they enter the hidden inside once again and cross the magnificent dragon bridge. Since the entrance to the enemy base locates floating in the sky, Kaiser reveals an invisible path connecting to the entrance platform. Carefully the group makes their way over it following the fox's lead. As previously the dragon statue at the gate requests a password to enter, which Kaiser provides and allows them to enter the dark, black walled base. Just before the doors close, Fendel picks up Aiyana and Rin, who had followed the others after realizing their absence. After worrying about the traps featured in the building, Kaiser leads his companions to the laboratory, assuming that Kokatori awaits them. Upon entering a foul odor breaks the air and it becomes clear as to why Kaiser seemingly avoided stepping into the place, as the machines of restriction, injection needles, along with mysterious liquids are featured among the equipment. After only minutes of wait the scientist eventually shows themselves, climbing on top of the large tank holding a hard to examine creature. The group urges them for answers, yet instead of delivering they suggest that they merely intended to fresh up their memories by providing four hints: History, Motive, Identity and Weakness. The kid promises to stay in contact over audio before sending them into the first room, which would reveal Jiang Ziya history.Part Two '- Hint One - History -' Part Three Entering the room it quickly gets clear to everyone that they would face an illusion, as the room originally does not differ from the rest of the base. Once Kokatori announces a trip to the past, the room transforms into a barren war territory. To Fendel's and Hanketsu's disturbance an explosion sounds near the group, causing few of them to panic. Unsure wherever the illusion would hurt them or not, Kaiser suggests to find shelter behind the house ruins near them, when an alarming presence bothers him and he orders everyone to hide. Out of the fog two men appear, a veteran accompanied by a younger man, who is heavily injured after being shot. The older figure exclaims about their unpromising escape situation, followed by a conversation between the two about the younger, who turns out to be Jiang Ziya in younger days, being spotted by enemies of his family, who want his head. In frustration the man, who is seemingly Jiang Ziya's guardian, spits about selling out his family, triggering an irritation in his companion. Fearing he would harm his family, Jiang Ziya straight out rids himself of the risk by shooting him in the stomach, then head, killing him. When the men chasing him approach his location, he collects his last strengths to sit and write a note spelling "'Home is where I'm closest to you, where no one can hurt you". The scene disappears after the final hand movement and only the note remains on the ground and is then picked up by Fendel, who reads it to the group and declares it part of the first hint. Unsure about its meaning they hope for a more promising result as they enter the second room. '- Hint Two - Motive -' Part Four The second room turns out just as dark as the first. Kokatori's voice sounds again from the audio devices provided, warning them of potential injuries should they not fight. Once communication is over, the room begins to light up wall lighters, revealing what seems to be a library. The books on the shelves quickly turn out to be a collection of a various topics, yet mainly consist of Fairy Tales, "Cinderella" appearing especially torn as if someone had frequently read it. Examining the location Fendel realizes that she had seen it before and recognizes it as Eleven's mansion, Grave Pendulum, which they had previously been prisoners in. Discomforted everyone keeps their thoughts about the location to themselves. Unable to find a hint inside the library, Kaiser suggests to leave the room and leads them into the hallways, which he lights up using a fox fire. Doubting that the answers were laying inside a washing closet, the fox targets the tallest door he can spot, entering it and the group is graced with a bright light. Ahead of them lies the magnificent ball room, which Fendel previously encountered in her nightmare vision.Immortality Through Death's Design As she attempts to mention this fact, a figure appears on top of the stairs at the back of the room. A pile of fire, merged with a black fluid, which oozed from the flames, crawls over the stairs, the figure's red eyes clearly heading towards the group, leaving no other thought than it being capable of seeing them. Suddenly the normally calm Kaiser begins to anxiously order everyone to flee, then attempts to claw the door, which previously closed on them, open. As the curtains catch on fire and the heat breaks the amber sitting in the chandelier, the situation seems to worsen. Unfortunately, the final straw had yet to be shown as the black liquid emerges images of mutations, which begin to leap towards the Fairy Tales. With the help of Hanketsu, Kaiser finally manages to break down the door and escorts them through the already ablaze hallways as the group bravely fights off the opponents on their ankles. Knowing the only safe place would be outside, the fox suddenly passes lead to Fendel, encouraging her that she should know the way out, but not explaining to her why. Lead by her memories Fendel finds the way through the halls, remembering a sort of fire escape route she had heard in the past. Reaching the exit yet another illusion unfolds before the bird, freezing her in place. Two soldiers, visibly present to deliver a message to the elderly couple in front of them, behind them a small girl, who seems uninvited to the scene. The men inform the couple of the death of their son, who had given their life in war and express their concern for the future of their business, as he was their heir. When the soldier hands them a note, the girl snatches it, reading it and realizing her brother would not return from war. After the soldiers leave, the woman claims that they no longer had a successor, calling the girl, who was apparently their daughter, mental and unfit for the position. Searching for comfort the kid mentions that she is capable of bringing her brother back from the dead, which is described as unnecessary nonsense by her mother, who forcefully pushes her to leave the scene and audibly wishes for her to be taken by death instead. Hurt and in tears the girl runs off, holding the "Cinderella" book tightly in her arms. Fendel, who recognized herself as the little girl, realizes that she was shown the scene prior to her death and questions how she is involved in all this, her amnesia blocking her from connecting the dots. Fighting her tears she gets comforted by her friends, who despite their concern, also push her to keep going as the fire closes in on them. Fendel apologizes and hurries out of the mansion, followed by Kaiser's sad eyes, who apparently knows more about the connection of the illusions. Far off, Jiang Ziya and is alarmed by Da Ji that she spotted the intruders, which her master seemingly was already aware off. In annoyance he pushes himself up to meet with the enemies, leaving his throne room. Finally out in the fresh night air in the mansion's front yard, Fendel and her friends catch a breath. Since the hint had not been fully ended yet, the girl's attention is caught by a light appearing on the hill ahead of her, which she carefully approaches. Another illusion pictures herself as Colette, accompanied by a Hanketsu of a previous century, as the two of them learn Colette's precious home on fire. Questioning the happenings, the girl dashes towards the burning house, but falls. When helped up by the wolf she asks herself what had caused the incident. It is then that the silhouette, which had chased the Fairy Tales previously, passes the group, which it seemingly no longer sees as it becomes part of the memory. As the figure approaches Colette she recognizes the red eyed figure as her friend, expressing her hatred over the betrayal as Hanketsu holds her back, knowing she would get hurt if she came near it. In silence the fire approaches the two, but stops as black liquid oozes from its chest. The red eyed creature denies Colette's love, then retreats into the woods. The mansion then sucks in all fire and returns to its original, ruin state. Unable to bear the memories forcing themselves back into her mind, Fendel breaks down under the emotional weight, begging for it to stop. Just then Jiang Ziya and Da Ji appear at the back of the room, the illusion disappearing before them. Himeko is visibly angered at his presence, declaring to save Kaiser from him. Da Ji seems to ponder a fight as they speak, yet instead of engaging Jiang Ziya suggests to change the location, causing the walls of the room to draw towards its center, eventually pushing the group off the temple and have them face the high distance to the ground. '- Consequences -' Part Five Quick reaction is required as they fall, as death awaits the Fairy Tales only feet beneath them. Snapped out of her sadness Fendel grabs Aiyana and Hook as they are incapable of flights and orders Hanketsu to get a hold of any other companions limited in the situation. Kaiser, who managed to catch Himeko in the fall, sees the only chance of surviving in summoning a barrier beneath them, which blocks the fall damage and safely gets everyone onto the ground, where Da Ji already impatiently awaits a fight. Their blood boiling, the Fairy Tales draw their weapons, agreeing to the battle. Jiang Ziya, who has no interest in contributing, rests on one of Da Ji's orbs in safe distance. The vixen remains unimpressed and readies her Sacred Weapon, ready to slit throats. Before she is able to dodge, Himeko gets thrown back by a frontal blow caused by the vixen's legs and Kaiser catches her. He warns his partner to be vary of the speed, then lends her parts of his own energy, sending her back into battle to get revenge. The fact that it is speed and not strength that defines Da Ji's attacks goes not unnoticed by the rest of the team and they decide to immobilize her, together. Not only does Himeko hurl her weapon into her direction, but also Yūrei's ghosts, which block her rear escape route, limit her actions immensely. While Corvo and Hook load their firearms and target different limbs of their enemy, Rin decides for a more passive assist, blocking yet another one of the potential paths to flee from the battle. Da Ji attempts to dodge the attacks by leaping to another orb floating near her, however is graced by the sharp scythe, then pierced by bullets and arrows, decreasing her mobility. Just able to dodge sword attacks of both Aiyana and Elise she makes her way to Kaiser, who catches on with her attempt to soak energy from him and quickly denies the attempt by throwing her back with one direct hit, her body hitting the ground harshly. Cursing Kaiser's disloyalty she instead calls upon Kokatori, who due to their own loyalty, tosses the vixen a strange looking vial containing a liquid. Their partner consumes the fluid and regains speed, encouraging her to engage another attack on Himeko, who counters her claws using a blood shield, pushing her off herself. Switching stance the girl transforms the shield into an estoc, aiming to pierce Da Ji's side. At once the group aims another set of attacks, which directly hit their enemy, as she is unable to react in time. At the limit of her powers she escapes the battle grounds using her nine tails as a shield and returns to Jiang Ziya's side, requesting aid. Instead of answering her plead, her master cold-heartedly rejects the vixen and instead orders her back into battle. As Da Ji with a heavy heart prepares to re-engage, Fendel suddenly steps forward in an attempt to stop the cruelty she is witnessing, calling the villain out on his violence, referring to him by his real name. Curious to discover where she knows his identity from, she reveals herself as Colette and Léandre (his real identity) recognizes her as his little sister. However the reunion is disturbed as he realized the true motive of Da Ji to hunt down Fendel in previous encounters and accuses her of attempted murder and treason. Despite trying to defend herself her master approaches her, claiming her book from her and violently tears out the majority of pages, causing her heavy injuries and then leaving her to die. To his surprise Himeko rushes to the vixen's side then, attempting to reattach the damaged pages to her book.Part Six To Léandre the mourning about the victim fallen to his hands is more than inept and he decides to use Himeko's lack of attention to assault her. As he extracts his gun from his belt, Kokatori attempts to warn the girl, when Da Ji, whose life was only attached to a string, jumps in between her master and the girl, blocking the bullet with her body. Pain in every breath she asks Himeko to look after Kaiser in her stead as she no longer would be able to. Feeling as if his heart is torn apart, Kaiser hurries to the side of the vixen, who had fallen back into Himeko's lap, asking her of the favor to love the fox in her name, to protect and cherish him while she no longer could. In tears Kaiser expresses his final gratitude for loving him despite his mental instability during their time together, then witnesses Da Ji's body dissolving. Suddenly, her damaged book repairs the ripped pages once again, letters spelling "The silver fox, mayhem to the heart of men, when blessed with true love in her heart, found purpose and happiness." Between sadness and happiness, Kaiser announces the acquirement of her book, yet it does not stop her body from vanishing. It is then that Colette leads the attention of the group towards the sky, where the silhouette of her second half, the slumbering dragon, makes its appearance. It collects the vixen's soul within its claws and Colette assures them that she has become one with the world. '- Kaiser -' Part Six Enraged by his actions, Kokatori opposes their master, exposing their basilisk eyes towards the man and casts Camisado, causing his muscles to freeze in place and taking the possibility to escape from the scene. As the man is incapable of moving, the scientist retrieves the vial with the attached scroll from their pocket, announcing to keep their promise of revealing Léandre's weakness to the Fairy Tales. They explain that through his foolishness he had not discovered that he was in the possession of a Seraph for years, blind in rage, mistreating it. Tossing the vial to Kaiser, they name him the hidden Seraph and remove his restrictions as he catches the mysterious object. The fox's collar once again injects a fluid into his veins, releasing his stored energy into his body. Kaiser's form changes, his pure white fur rushing golden and growing a ninth tail and his attire replacing with a greyscale emperor's gown. The staff he carried becomes a hovering circle of orbs which places itself as his new weapon above his tails. Surrounded by an incredibly strong force the fox makes his way towards his master, who, beginning to free from the curse, attempts to flee. Kaiser declares his chains to be cut and that he reclaims his freedom and his name. Using cast seal spells fire rains upon him, allowing him to change his stance. He emerges from the fire as a white pelted fox, before sinking back into the fire and from a black shadow grows into a large beast, whose fur and mane also grow white. Having discovered the potential of his forms he reverts back to Kaiser and paralyzes Léandre temporarily as he crushes his form into the ground, leaving a large pit. In spite Kaiser tells his enemy that he would happily burn Grave Pendulum to ashes again would he be given the chance if it stopped him from ever re-entering the world. Ignoring Léandre's hissing threats the kitsune finally casts a portal above the pit, sucking in his opponent and banishing him into the abyss between the worlds. Knowing him gone, the Seraph starts fading as his book appears in front of him, collecting the energy unleashed. As it closes it reveals the title "The Yōkai", the name he reclaimed being no other than Akaneiro. Happy to know Akaneiro's freedom, Himeko and the fox embrace in bliss, removing the ever so hated mask from his face. Their friends, who had not expected Kaiser to reveal as their ally after all this time, express their surprise and happiness over his return. The group finds itself victorious, yet lost in place. Suddenly a large bird drops from the sky and after minutes of questioning carries the group into the widely unknown parts of the flying islands, Zephyr. References }} Category:Summary